re: New Orleans Pelicans are willing to part ways with Brandon Ingram in hopes of getting Dame

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I heard Kushner on the radio advocating giving up Ingram plus basically every single asset we have. Seemed a tad high there breh

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Heard this and rolled my eyes. He’s generally clueless

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Y’all keep trying to say this but it ain’t true in this situation.

4 year contract and aged 30.


Portland has zero incentive to give him his preferred landing spot and artificially handicap themselves.

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Listened to a couple of podcasts today, Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Zach Lowe on 2 different pods all were in agreement that Portland wouldn't just send him to any team, and that Dame would have a say in where they'd trade him to.

Those dudes, especially Lowe, are really plugged in and understand how front offices operate.

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Those dudes, especially Lowe, are really plugged in and understand how front offices operate.

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Precisely, front offices who screw players (especially star ones who have dedicated themselves to a team for a decade) will get ruined.

Realistically, the contenders I think he tries to go to that doesn't require them to gut a core and will contend:
Philly - Ben Simmons
Miami - Tyler Herro
Boston - Jaylen Brown
Denver - Michael Porter Jr
LA Clippers - Paul George
GSW - Wiseman, Wiggins

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Precisely, front offices who screw players (especially star ones who have dedicated themselves to a team for a decade) will get ruined.

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Portland aint attracting any superstar free agents or they would have already done so.

There is no pressure to frick over the future of the organization, especially when there is rumors of them selling it, by handicapping their own return on a Lillard trade.

Everyone is going to work in their best interest, and Portland's best interest is to 1.) try and keep Lillard, if that fails 2.) to maximize their return for him.

Not to mention the precedent they would be setting, which would be that any superstar they get int he future can just handpick and decide when they want to up and leave.

On a personal note, are you just wanting the Pels to be shite forever? Because here's the rub, no player right now is going to put us on their list, it will be us taking the chance on a prove it basis. And if we aren't willing to do that then we might as well cash in our chips for cash because it was fricking pointless to amass a warchest. You amass a archest as a small market specifically because you want to have the ammo to take your shot when the opportunity arises. Griff has said that is in fact his strategy.

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Is Simmons + Maxey really a better combo than BI + Kira? Obviously, before the playoffs, I would have said yes, but I don't know now.

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If that is the deal, I'd say it's a toss up on what direction Portland wants to go, but I'd take BI.

But my point there was more about the price range it probably puts us in because Philly will offer Simmons and shite load of picks, and that sort of removes the ability for us to leave out Ingram in any potential deal IMO.

Which I would try my hardest to do(but is probably impossible until Hayes/NAW/Kira really develop some more)

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Said exactly what I said

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Simmons asked specifically about New Orleans, and Russillo said he's not going there then explained and it was obvious the answer was because Dame wouldn't want to go there.

He then on to explain the Dame situation and all the years left, and Russillo said, "That may change it a little bit." And he didn't exactly say that with a lot of conviction. He was basically acknowledging it and saying it could play a small factor but he thought Dame will have a say in where he goes.

It was extremely obvious reading between the lines and the direct quotes especially with Russillo that he was saying Dame would definitely have a say, and Portland would listen. The only out was him saying it may change the situation a "little bit" which is a really far, far cry from them saying "exactly what you said" and honestly it was basically just about the exact opposite of what you've been saying.

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It was extremely obvious reading between the lines and the direct quotes especially with Russillo that he was saying Dame would definitely have a say, and Portland would listen.

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You can interpret it however you want, I didn't interpret it that way and don't think an attempt at objectivity would either, fact is Portland has no incentive to frick themselves over. Whether two podcasters and hot take artists shooting from the hip can grasp that or not(and by my account they both did).

And as a franchise we better fricking hope that is the sentiment otherwise the warchest strategy is literally pointless, because if not even a 4 year contract superstar can be had with overpays by small markets, this era is fricked, the competitive balance of the league is fricked, and we might as well sell Zion now.

However, rational self-interest and the history of human kind and capitalism tells me the idea a billion dollar organization would actively torpedo themselves and their value when it is unnecessary to do so, on the premise of vague "goodwill," flies in the face of all business, sports, or human logic.

Guarantee Portland would tell Lillard to kick rocks if the Pels came with a godfather offer that surpassed any of the teams he listed out.

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He directly said Dame's contract length may change it a little bit. Why would anyone objectively think that is remotely the same as what you've been saying? It's not, not even close.

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More or less I find it amusing people are wanting to win internet arguments so bad they are evoking Bill Simmons as expert witnesses. Even when the second part of that conversation evoked the notion Zion may refuse to sign his rookie extension.

Which, if you want to really transcript it, at no point did Simmons sign onto Russillos hot taking on that point. And Russillo’s response came off more like “I didn’t realize that” and now I’m realizing it. As in real time you can hear him go from “he’ll refuse” to beginning to process the context of Lillards situation as he starts realizing, and saying out loud the years and money and then his brain wanders off and he starts talking about a rookie asking out like Zion and a player refusing to play after a full contract but never does he explain why that would happen and work out in his favor. Just that a Lillard type situation will happen eventually, then they move to Philly as the star partner.

So no, your framing isn’t really correct.

Like most Simmons podcasts they are just shooting from the cuff and don’t really do research. It’s empty brain entertainment.

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Russillo said he's not going there then explained and it was obvious the answer was because Dame wouldn't want to go there.

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Ryen is great at basketball analysis.

Ryen also has no frickin clue as to what a superstar wants to do.

Shhh

Shel thinks he won an Internet argument by invoking *checks notes* Bill freaking Simmons and Ryen Russillo lol

…Which he had to contort their discussion to do anyways